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AUTOMATIG SAP FEEDING APPARATUS. v No. 255,565. M Patented Mar. 28,1882.

N. PETERS Pholo Li|hngv=phen Washington, D. c.

4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC MERRITT O. BARDEN OF PAWLET, VERMONT.

AUTOMATIC SAP-FEEDING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 255,565, dated March 28, 1882,"

Application filed October 13, 1881. (No model.)

. orating sap for the purpose of manufacturing maple sirup and sugar; and, it consists in a device for automatically supplying the evaporating-pan with fresh sap whenever the level of fluid inthe pan falls below a fixed point, said device being capable of adjustment in such manner that it will open the supply-tube at any given or desired point, thereby avoiding the danger of the treacle being scorched in the pan and greatly diminishing the labor and care involved in evaporating the sap to the required point.

Referring to the drawingforming part ofthis application, the figure is a perspective "iew, showing my automatic sap-feeder, the evaporating apparatus and the receiving-tank for the fresh sap not being shown.

Ain said drawing indicates a circular frame, which may be made of strong iron wire. At any suitable distance below is placed a second and similar frame, A which is connected to the frame A by uprights A. At two points directly opposite each other are placed vertical guide-pieces A arranged in pairs in the manner shown. Aflat plate, E, oonnectseach guidepiece with the corresponding piece diametrically opposite.

' Within the space inclosed by the frames A and A and the uprights A is placed a float, B,

which in this instance consists of a hollow drum or cylinderconstructed of tin or any other suitable metal. An ear or log, I), is attached to the periphery of this float,and a second ear is attached at a point diametrically opposite. To each of theseears b is secured one end of an arm, 0, the attachment of said arm being such that it has a limitedpivotal motion in a vertical plane radiating from the center of the float B. These arms 0 are each provided with apertures a a, arranged in the manner shown, for a purpose presently to be described.

Between the two flat plates E, I pivot two 1e. vers, D D, each having substantially the form of a bell-crank, and both being pivoted to the supporting-plates by the same pivot-bolt c, which passes through each lever at or near the angle formed by its long and'its short arm. The longer arms extend in opposite directions, and are of sufiicient length, so that their extremities engage with the arms 0 by entering the apertures a formed in said arms, a pin, 6, being passed through a hole in the end of the lever-arm to retain it in place. When thus arranged it will be seen that the longer arms of the levers D D are nearly horizontal,while the shorter arms varybut a few degrees from a vertical position.

Upon the upper side of the long arm of each leverDis formedaspurorprojection,d. (Shown in broken lines in the drawing.) These spurs or projections cl are so arranged that when the levers D are pivoted at the point c said spurs stand one upon each side of the pivotal point. Moreover, when the long arms of the levers D are horizontal, or nearly so, these spurs will be separated by a space suflicient to permit the supply pipe or tube F to lie between them. One end of this pipeF is connected with a large receiving-tank, of any suitable kind, placed so that its bottom is a little above the level of the evaporating-pan, in order that the sap may easily flow from one to the other. The other end of this tube is carried through suitable apertures in the plates E, so located that that rest in the angles of thelevers D and between thespurs d.

Now, itis evident from the construction and when the long arms of the levers D are raised separate from each other, and the spurs or projections d will be driven together, thereby compressing the tube I between them to a degree exactly proportioned to the height to which the extremities of the long arms D are raised. ()n the other hand, the moment the ends of the arms D descend the spurs d will begin to separate, and their pressure upon the elastic tube F being thereby removed, or parportion of the tube between the plates E shall arrangement of parts already described that.

the shorter or vertical arms will be caused to tially removed, according to the degree of motion imparted to the arms D, the tube F will be correspondingly opened.

My invention, therefore, operates as follows The sap-feeder, organized in the manner set forth, is simply placed in anypart of the evaporating-pan, the supporting-frame A resting upon the bottom of said pan, which is then filled with sap to the proper amount, what ever that may be. The float B rests upon the sap in the pan and is buoyed up by it until, when the pan is filled, the float rises high enough to wholly close the supply-tube F. Heat being now applied to the pan in the usual manner evaporation begins, and after this process has continued a short time the level of the sap in the pan is sensibly lowered, thereby permitting the float B to descend and opening the supply-tube to a corresponding degree. A flow of sap takes place at once from the receiving-tank, and continues until the fluid in the ewtporating-pan reaches its full height, when the float B is again raised to such a height as to close the supply-tube and cut off all further discharge of sap. This operation is repeated until many gallons of sap have been discharged into the evaporating-pan and until the fluid therein has assumed the consistency of sirup. As the process continues until it approaches the point where crystallization will take place at ordinary temperatures the attention of an operator will be necessary to prevent the sirup from scorching, and also to maintain such a degree of heat as to obtain the greatest percentage ofcrystallizable liquor or sirup; but until this point is reached my invention will feed the evaporating-pan, will effectually prevent all danger from burning, and wholly obviates the necessity of employing an assistant to watch the process and supply fresh sap to the pan as fast as required.

' a a, any one of which is adapted to receive the extremity of the lever-arm D.

It is evident that when the feeder is used in a shallow pan the lever-arms may be connected with one of the apertures near the free extremity of the arm 0. On the otherhand, by connecting them to the arms 0 at a point nearer the float B the feeder will be adapted for use in a correspondingly deeper pan. In the same manner the feeder may be adjusted or gaged to feed at any depth required without regard to the depth of the pan.

The vertical arms of the bell-cranks D D may be weighted, as shown at G G, to balance the weight of the float B. If desired, the float may also be weighted at the center,

and said weight may be made detachable, so that it may either be removed entirely or a different weight substituted. Moreover, instead of the uprights A A, which connect the upper and lower frames, A and A I may substitute a single vertical plate of tin or any other suitable metal, which entirely incloses the sides, leaving the frame open at top and bottom, and having narrow slots cut therein to permit the action of the arms 0 and leverarms D.

By this invention I obtain an extremely cheap, simple, and effective device for feeding automatically the evaporating-pans in the process of manufacturing maple sugar and sirup. To those familiar with this art it is well known that the loss of a considerable percentage of sugar is not infrequent, owing to momentary carelessness, inattention, or to mistakes in judgment. It is safe to say that nearly all, if not all, these accidents might be avoided by the use of an automatic apparatus so simple, so accurate and eifective in operation, and so cheap as to be within the reach of every person. I

In the drawing, the elastic supply-tube is shown passing under the upper part of the frame A. vIt may be found more convenient to carry said tube above the frame, which will form a partial support for the same.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In an automatic sap-feeding apparatus, the combination, with a float, of pivoted arms adjustably connected with said float and a supply-tube leading from a reservoir and passing between said pivoted arms, said tube being constructed wholly or in partof elastic ma terial and adapted to be opened by the descent of the float and closed by its ascent, substantially in the manner, and for the purposes set forth. A

2. In an automatic sap-feeding apparatus, the combination, with arising-and-falling float, of two lever-arms pivoted upon the same bolt, each having formed thereon a spur or projection, between which the supply-pipe passes, and arms pivoted to said float and adapted to engage adjustably with the extremities of the said lever-arms, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, with a suitable frame having transverse supports E, of the leverarms D D, having each a long arm, D, said lever-arms being pivoted at a common point, 0, and the pivoted arms 0, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. As a new article of manufacture, an automatic sap-feedin g apparatus consisting of a suitable supporting-frame having transverse plates E E, two bell-crank levers, D D D D, pivoted to a common point between said plates E E, and having spurs or projections 01, a supply-tube passing through the plates E and'between the spurs or projections d d, and arms 0, having apertures a a a, adapted to engage with the extremities of the lever-arms, the lat ter being provided with weights G G, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5; The combination, in an automatic sapfeeding apparatus, of pivoted compressing arms, an elastic supply-tube, and arising -andfalling float whereby said arms are operated, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to to this specification in the'presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MERRITT CLARK BARDEN.

Witnesses? HOYEE BARDEN, LORAN F. SHELDON. 

